The death toll from fires that swept Russia's southern Siberian region of Khakasia has risen to 29.

Regional government officials said on April 15 that three people were missing as rescue teams continued working across the region.

The Emergency Situations Ministry said earlier that more than 900 people in dozens of towns and villages were injured in the blazes, which were caused by the burning of dry leaves and spread fast by strong winds.

More than 1,500 houses burned down, leaving at least 5,000 people homeless in Khakasia.

Evacuations, casualties, and damage from wildfires have been reported in other Siberian regions including Altai, Amur, Buryatia, Tyva, Zabaikalye, Krasnoyarsk, and Irkutsk.

Russian Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fyodorov said on April 15 that the damages to local farmers caused by the fire across Siberian regions were estimated by more than 600 million rubles ($11.6 million).